Ask Her To Dance
by bookchick08
Summary: It's Pema's 16th birthday, and for the first time since he's known her, Tenzin notices how pretty she's gotten. Oneshot.


**A/N: Hey! Long time, no write! This is a Pemzin one-shot I wrote a couple weeks ago (prior to finding out that Lin was Tenzin's ex, much to the sadness of my Tokka-shipping heart). I posted it on Tumblr but never got around to posting it here... anyway, ENJOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender or The Legend of Korra.**

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It was on Pema's sixteenth birthday when Tenzin first noticed how pretty she was.

Instead of the usual loose Air Acolyte robes, she had donned a yellow dress that draped around the curves of her chest and hips. She'd styled her hair differently, too, leaving it down instead of up in a bun. Because she was now of age, his father, Avatar Aang, had insisted that there be a celebration. Everyone on Air Temple Island, along with a few of Pema's friends from the mainland, was invited.

Tenzin tried not to notice; he really did. After all, he was _twice her age, _and involved with Arik, a twenty-five-year-old Acolyte who was currently visiting her family in Omashu. Though she had a tendency to be somewhat condescending towards the younger Acolytes (Pema included), Tenzin still loved her.

Still, he couldn't help but notice how much Pema had grown up since she came to Air Temple Island at age twelve. Then, she'd been a quiet, skinny girl who was incredibly smart and barely talked. Now, she was an outgoing, developed young woman who had developed a smart sense of humor to go along with her intelligence.

Avatar Aang noticed his son's meaningful glances at Pema. He moved over to him and whispered, "Why don't you ask her to dance? There's a slow song on."

Tenzin blushed and whispered back, "Father, I'm her teacher, and involved with Arik!"

Aang shrugged. "Whatever you say, son," he said as he made his way back over to his wife.

Feeling embarrassed that someone had seen him looking at Pema, Tenzin made his way outside to the balcony. Did he want to ask Pema to dance? Yes. Did he have feelings for her? In all honesty, that was a question he didn't quite want to answer yet.

"Master Tenzin?"

He turned around. "Pema. Happy birthday."

The girl - well, technically woman - smiled somewhat shyly. "Thank you." She stepped up to the railing of the balcony and leaned against the edge.

Tenzin cleared his throat. "Is everything alright?"

Pema twiddled her thumbs. "Yeah, I guess. I just came out here to try and escape from Zan. I saw him making a beeline towards me when the slow song came on, and," she laughed, "I just have no desire to dance with him."

Tenzin chuckled. "Zan… I'm not sure I've met him. He's one of your friends from the mainland, isn't he?"

"Well, calling him a _'friend'_ might be a bit of a stretch, Master. Truthfully, I wouldn't have invited him if it weren't for the fact that he's the brother of Zira, my best friend since we were six. We all went to the same school until I came here."

Tenzin smiled. "You can call me Tenzin outside of class, Pema."

She looked up at him, surprised. "Really?"

He nodded. "Of course. You're an adult now."

Her cheeks reddened slightly. "Thank you, Mas- Tenzin."

Tenzin smiled, and looked out over Yue Bay. The two of them stood there for quite a while, listening to the music from inside the party. When the slow song ended, Pema started to go back inside, but as another steady ballad began to play, she huffed in frustration and muttered, "Spirits. I was hoping that a fast song would play so I'd be able to go back in without being stalked by Zan, but… apparently not."

Just as he had earlier in the evening, Tenzin once again considered asking her to dance. Only this time, he pushed aside thoughts of age-differences and Arik and spoke the words, "May I have this dance, Pema?"

Surprised and flattered, Pema nodded. "Of course." He led her inside, placed one hand in hers and the other around her waist, and swayed back and forth gently to the music. Across the room, Tenzin noticed his father, who was dancing with his mother, give him a thumbs up.

Tenzin rolled his eyes.


End file.
